Swiss public broadcaster SRG will relocate the second TV channel of RSI, its affiliate for Italian-speaking Switzerland, to the internet in early 2020.

This decision was made by the administrative council at the request of SRG’s management board.

The new OTT service Web LA 2 which will replace broadcast TV channel RSI LA 2 will be available on mobile devices, the internet and smart TV sets.

RSI has considerably less funds than SRF serving German-speaking Switzerland and RTS in French-speaking Switzerland, according to SRG. For RSI, the operation of two TV channels has been demanding and a digital alternative to the second channel constitutes a promising prospect, explains SRG.

The move is, however, a specific measure in Italian-speaking Switzerland and does not act as a pioneer project for the other parts of the country, stresses SRG, adding that the broadcaster optimises its offer in accordance with the characteristics of each region.

Web LA 2 will complement RSI LA 1 which remains a conventional broadcast TV channel and, despite its limited funds, will provide a more comprehensive offer than today, according to SRG.

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About Jörn Krieger

Jörn reports on the latest development in the DACH market, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Since 1992, he has been working as a freelance journalist, specialised in digital media, broadcast technology, convergence and new markets. He also takes up University lectureships, writes articles in specialist publications, and produces radio reports. Jörn is also a moderator of panel discussions at industry events such as Medientage München.